Girls accuse teacher at deaf-mute school of molestation

INDORE: Two deaf and mute girls have filed an FIR of molestation against a teacher at Indore’s Mook Badhir Sansthan —the institute which has been entrusted with the custody of Pak-returned hearing and speech-impaired girl Geeta. The alleged molestation came to the fore on Thursday during a “helping session” organized by Indore police in the aftermath of the Bhopal gang rape to create awareness among the differently abled about crimes against women. While communicating with DSP Deepali Jain in an open discussion, the two girls expressed in sign language that they were molested and harassed repeatedly by a teacher, who used to touch them inappropriately. They also alleged that despite repeated complaints to those in-charge of the Mook Badhir institute and to other teachers, no action was taken. One of the girls, who has been studying here for eight years, told police that after being harassed by the teacher, they both decided to leave school in July 2017. “On July 19, on an excuse to check on the girls who had not been attending school, the teacher reached their home and molested the younger girl when no one was present,” said Sarika Rawat, sub-inspector at Tukoganj police station. The teacher is yet to be arrested.

The girls told the DSP that the teacher had harassed many students but no one had come forward with a complaint. The duo said they mustered courage after meeting the DSP. The DSP asked Tukoganj police to immediately register a zero FIR and transfer the case to Chandan Nagar police station. “An FIR under IPC section 354 and 354-d has been registered,” said Rawat. A 30-year-old mentally challenged deaf and mute woman started crying on watching an awareness video. She told police that she was molested by her neighbour. The DSP asked her mother to speak to her about it and come to the police station on Friday.